Introduced as part of the Farm Bill, the SCO initiative is intended to provide an additional layer of financial protection beyond a farmer’s primary crop insurance policy when there are crop losses county-wide.

It takes effect with the 2015 crop year.

Along with the Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC), the SCO program is one of several efforts designed to help farmers manage their financial risk in the absence of direct payments. As farmers evaluate their options, they’ll need to consider what combination of coverage is the best for them; producers who choose the ARC option will not be eligible for the SCO program.

The agency has already released the list of SCO-eligible counties for wheat crops; the deadline for farmers to enroll in the program for their winter wheat is Sept. 30.